A-10 Returns from CENTCOM Deployment with UAS Kill Markings

An A-10C was noticed with two Shahed-type UAS shapes painted on the nostril whereas returning to its dwelling base.

An A-10C Thunderbolt II of the U.S. Air Pressure was noticed with two attention-grabbing kill markings whereas returning dwelling from its newest deployment within the U.S. CENTCOM (Central Command) AOR (Space of Duty). In actual fact, the plane was painted with two Shahed-type UAS shapes on its nostril, along with different kill markings and an Ares (the Greek God of Conflict) determine.

These markings look like the primary affirmation that the Warthog (because the plane is nicknamed inside the fighter pilot group) has been utilized in a Counter UAS position and has shot down hostile One Approach Assault (OWA) drones. No official assertion has been launched by the U.S. Air Pressure.

TABOR61 (combined the callsigns on the primary flight 😅) arriving at PSM after a visit from Lajes! pic.twitter.com/pJwwJAgtJL

— Alex (@mhtplanes) October 10, 2025

The pictures

The 12 Warthogs had been noticed arriving at Portsmouth Worldwide at Pease, New Hampshire, in two cells of six plane every on Oct. 7 and 10. The A-10 “Ares” was a part of the second cell, and was captured whereas taxiing after touchdown by aviation photographer Alex H, who kindly shared the pictures with us.

Alex advised us in an electronic mail that every A-10 was painted with a determine representing a Greek god. All through the years, it grew to become custom that U.S. plane getting back from deployment with ornamental nostril arts and markings representing the weapons employed and/or the targets.

On Oct. 7, the plane noticed had been:

TABOR71 A-10 79-0121 “Herme”
TABOR72 A-10 79-0091 “NYX”
TABOR73 A-10 79-0109 “Cronus”
TABOR74 A-10 78-0707 “Artemis”
TABOR75 A-10 79-0136 “Athena”
TABOR76 A-10 80-0218 “Poseidon”

On Oct. 10, the plane noticed had been:

TABOR61 A-10 79-0122 “Dionysus”
TABOR62 A-10 78-0643 “Ares”
TABOR63 A-10 79-0152 “Demeter”
TABOR64 A-10 79-0084 “Zeus”
TABOR65 A-10 80-0276 “Hades”
TABOR66 A-10 78-0624 “Aphrodite”

The deployment

The 124th Fighter Wing of the Idaho Air Nationwide Guard, stationed at Gowen Subject Air Nationwide Guard Base, Idaho, deployed its A-10s to the CENTCOM AOR on Mar. 29, 2025, flown by the one hundred and ninetieth Fighter Squadron. The six-month deployment was deliberate to final till the top of September, in line with Idaho’s media.

Previously, the Warthog performed an essential position in fight operations in opposition to militants in Iraq and Syria. This time, the presence of the A-10 was silent, with few pictures and statements documenting their presence within the space.

The pictures confirmed the A-10s flying with a comparatively gentle load, which included two GBU-54 Laser JDAM guided bombs and a LAU-131 A/A pod with seven AGR-20 rockets, also called APKWS II (Superior Precision Kill Weapon System). The latter, within the upgraded AGR-20F FALCO (Fastened-Wing Air-Launched Counter Unmanned Aerial Programs Ordnance) variant, is the weapon of selection for U.S. F-15Es and F-16Cs employed in a Counter-UAS position within the CENTCOM AOR.

As reported in July 2025 by The Conflict Zone, Pentagon documentation for the 2026 finances explicitly talked about the AGR-20F is cleared to be used on the F-16, F-15E, and the A-10. As FALCO is a software program modifications, the pictures can’t be used to discern which variant was employed by the A-10 in the course of the deployment, however it’s cheap to say it was the AGR-20F.

Many would ask why use the A-10, a gradual plane constructed for Shut Air Help, to intercept drones. The reply might be discovered within the captions of the U.S. Air Pressure used to explain the jet: “The A-10 can loiter close to battle areas for prolonged durations of time and function in low ceiling and visibility situations.”

These capabilities make the Warthog splendid to effectively deal with slow-moving drone threats, as it may well keep airborne for hours, cheaply, and with the flexibility to hold numerous rockets, if wanted, to cease massive swarming assaults. This is able to convey down much more the worth of capturing down a budget Shahed drones and comparable, as an alternative of utilizing costlier fighters, just like the F-15, F-16 and F-35, with costlier weapons, just like the AIM-9X and AIM-120C/D.

The A-10 may additionally use its highly effective GAU-8 30mm cannon, nevertheless it could have to get nearer to the targets, growing the danger of ingesting particles.

The APKWS II

The rockets loaded on the launchers had been recognized as APKWS II, a sort that has just lately been launched into the air-to-air area being utilized by USAF F-16s to shoot down Houthi drones across the Purple Sea. The APKWS II, which was first examined as an air-to-air weapon again in 2019, gives an affordable answer to interact each air and floor targets. Within the counter drone position, the F-16s typically operated in pairs with one jet ‘portray’ the goal with a laser from the Sniper ATP whereas the opposite made an assault run with the rockets.

The latest introduction of the APKWS II as a counter-drone weapon for the F-16, which carried only one or two rocket launchers, successfully tripled its engagement alternative when in comparison with earlier loadouts that includes simply six air-to-air missiles. The identical occurred with the F-15E, with each fighters in a position to carry as much as 42 rockets.

This additionally drastically decreased the fee per kill: an AIM-9X prices about $450,000 and an AIM-120 greater than $1 million, whereas a single APKWS II rocket is estimated to have a value level of round $30,000. Nevertheless, its air-to-air goal portfolio is restricted to regular targets equivalent to drones or cruise missiles; it’s not in a position to maneuver as a lot as different specialised air-to-air weapons just like the AIM-9 or AIM-120.